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The Big Blue
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14 May 2021 | Anacortes
Spring cruise with the ladies
05 August 2020 | Billy Goat Harbor
Johnstone Straight
02 August 2020 | Fury Cove
Fury Cove
31 July 2020 | Meyers Passage
Making tracks
26 July 2020 | Ketchikan
22 July 2020 | Petersburg
Who's got crab legs?
20 July 2020 | Petersburg
16 July 2020 | Appleton Cove
We left Sitka
10 July 2020 | Sitka
Arrived Sitka today
07 July 2020 | Gulf of Alaska
Day 2
04 July 2020
A New Chapter
04 December 2014 | Anchorage
Losing a Friend
24 July 2014 | Bulldog Cove
Resurrection Bay
21 July 2014 | Shelikof Straight
Alaska Peninsula
10 July 2014
04 July 2014
Looks like July 4 in Dutch
02 July 2014
After the Gale
28 June 2014
Day 19
23 June 2014
Out of the twenties and into the thirties
19 June 2014
Heading North
Spring cruise with the ladies
14 May 2021 | Anacortes
Mark Ward
My two lovely daughters joined us for a 4-day spring shakedown cruise in Radiance. We also got to try out the brand new OC 300 tender and were thrilled with its performance!
We are ready for summer.
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Johnstone Straight
05 August 2020 | Billy Goat Harbor
Mark Ward | Clear
Port Hardy was foggy this morning when we woke and pulled the hook. After changing the engine oil, we headed directly for the fuel dock at Coastal Mountain Fuel and were greeted by a lovely young lady with a great smile who took our lines. In short order, we fueled up, watered up, got rid of our waste oil and were on our way. The morning got quite socked in and I was glad to have both AIS and radar as we navigated out of Hardy Bay and through the islands. At several points, we couldn't see farther than about 20 yards around the boat, which is an eerie feeling. As we made our way closer to Johnstone Straight, it began to lift and by the afternoon we were in full on sunshine again. Amazingly, we had cell service the whole way and Lolo attended two work meetings up on the bow, while under way. We were also able to call Jessica and wish her a happy 30th birthday. Hard to believe my first born baby is now 30!
Today, our timing was perfect as we caught the full tide and rode it most of the 67 miles to Billy Goat Bay on Helcken Is. The currents around here are just something to behold and steering through and around swirling eddies that spin the boat this way and that are kind of fun. Sometimes they have logs in them as well, so we have to keep a constant watch for them. Vancouver Island is really beautiful and reminds me more of the terrain in Alaska than some of the recent places we passed through. It's taller, more rugged and the trees are bigger. I don't know what the square acreage is, but I'm sure it's bigger than a lot of countries.
Billy Goat Harbor is a tiny little place situated just out of the raging tidal currents that sweep around the island and you can see the currents raging just a couple hundred yards away! It's pretty cool to be tucked in here. After a delicious chicken dinner (which Danny prepared,) I set the crab pot with kayak and then took Ginger for a kayak ride. Though still very cautious, she seems to enjoy these short outings away from the boat. But she's always eager to jump back aboard when the kayak gets within reach. Tomorrow, we'll leave a little later in the morning with the tide and make our way to the famed Seymour Narrows, then on to Campbell River.
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Fury Cove
02 August 2020 | Fury Cove
Yesterday we had yet another warm sunny day as we motored past Shearwater (now closed to tourists,) out into Fitz Hugh Sound and on to Pruth Bay, where it is said that there are some of the best beaches on
the entire west coast. However, the research station, Hakai, and even the island itself are also closed due to Covid. This is normally a prime destination for visiting yachts, so it was eerie that there was no sign of life at the facility, and no boats anchored out in front. The large ocean-facing beaches are normally accessible via a short hike through the woods to the other side. It was frustrating to be here, and unable to go ashore and visit these places due to Covid 19. We clearly are no risk to anyone as there
isn't anyone here. But rules are rules. We did set the crab pot after anchoring in the cove just to the north and this morning were pleased to pull up 5 in the pot, with 3 keepers!
Today was a short and wet 17 mile run out Lama Passage and down Fitz Hugh Sound. Danny and I did a little fishing at the entrance into Fitz Hugh and caught some rock fish for us to eat while keeping the carcasses for crab bait. Though it was wet and foggy, the seas were calm with just a light headwind. On seeing a reddish ship emerge in the fog, I had Lolo turn on the AIS to identify ourselves. At first, the AIS target just showed Canadian Vessel. But after some time, the description confirmed it was a Canadian
Coast Guard cutter. We watched them change course and veer off toward Safety Cove - presumably satisfied that we were an authorized vessel in transit. We continued on to Fury Cove and after winding into the small protected inner harbor, we found a nice place to anchor with two small sandy beaches framing a small opening looking directly out into Fitz Hugh Sound. Though wet, it's quite picturesque.
Tomorrow, we will continue on to Port Hardy, where we'll change the oil, get fuel and water before continuing on.
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Making tracks
31 July 2020 | Meyers Passage
We've had a string of nice days and have take advantage of them to make some serious tracks down the coast.
We departed Prince Rupert and had a lovely 65 mile day sailing with sunshine and following wind and seas. Anchored last night in a
spectacular little place called Lundy Cove. As soon as we dropped the hook, I dropped a fishing line and immediately hooked into
something that was large enough to begin stripping line off my large ocean rod. Not necessarily wanting to deal with a large fish after the
long day, I was not too disappointed when the line went limp as he'd gotten off. I messed around just a little longer and couldn't hardly
get the line down without it being hit by a black rock fish and when I did get it down to the bottom, it was fish after fish of some other rock
fish. Luckily, it wasn't very deep and so each one I released sped away down to the bottom. Lundy cove is just outside a saltwater
lagoon surrounded by granite and at high tide the ocean spills into and out of the lagoon over the boulders in addition to it's normal outfow
spot. In short, it was yet again, another spot I'd like to spend at least a couple days exploring. But, we found there is weather coming our
way, and we really should make some mile and get away from Queen Charlotte Sound. And so it was that today we left Lundy at 0800
and headed south. Listening to the VHF weather, we found a discrepancy between the French version - which was predicting FIFTY
KNOTS SE, and the English version on the same VHF weather, predicting 15-20 SE. We had really wanted to stop in McMicking and
stay, but that would put is with another 45 miles to go against the SE winds on Friday and since the velocity of those winds was
somewhat in question, we opted for a quick 1 hour treat to duck in there and take a swim, before heading on. After eventually ducking
into Laredo Channel, we rode the last of the flood in and over the shallows - seeing 20 feet at one point. This coincided with the fact
there is only 5 feet at mean low water, so our timing was just right. Once through, we dropped the hook just on the other side, shut the
engine off and ate dinner. Basking in the calm and clear night, we just found the forecast for Queen Charlotte Sound has now been
upgraded to a full gale. It is good to have made the prudent decision.
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26 July 2020 | Ketchikan
Mark Ward | Rainy
We arrived in Ketchikan on Friday and were lucky enough to get a very nice slip on the Ketchikan Yacht Club float just a stone's throw from the yacht club building which has laundry and shower facilities! Once tied up, I set off via city bus to the post office to retrieve my package from Trans Atlantic Diesel – a new front main oil seal for the engine. This would be Saturday's project. On my return, and since it was nice and dry out, I took the opportunity to repair the head of our genoa as we'd somehow managed to rip the Kevlar webbing off of it the day before while beating up Clarence Strait. I had tried reaching the only sail maker in Ketchikan, but found that he'd unfortunately passed away a few months ago. Unfortunately, we did not bring the Sailright sewing machine with us on this trip, so this job would have to be done by hand. Luckily, we have all the things we need to do such a job. The top of the sail is many layers thick, requiring the use of an awl to make a hole for each and every stitch. A few hours later, and with pretty sore hands, I had it done and we hoisted the headsail and rolled her up.
On Saturday I mopped out the oil under the engine did an oil change and installed the new oil seal. Everything went without a hitch, but in the process, I also discovered the bolt holding the pulley on the crankshaft had become loose which resulted in the woodruff key wearing out. Danny volunteered to longboard to the closest Napa auto parts store to pick up a replacement and on his return, we completed the job and buttoned up the engine compartment. This should resolve the slobbering oil issue. Today I was reminded of the adage that cruising is often referred to as "fixing the boat in exotic places."
We've been enjoying a few days here in Ketchikan, doing some shopping and getting our laundry done. Today, we'll get fuel and propane, go out to dinner, shower up and be ready for our next leg – Prince Rupert, BC. We won't be able to go ashore for anything but fuel while in BC due to Covid, so tonight will be our last night in a town for a while.
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Who's got crab legs?
22 July 2020 | Petersburg
Mark Ward | Rainy
Today, I was on a mission to find some live Dungeness crab. Petersburg is literally engulfed in a cloud of boiling crab steam, yet there are no live tanks or boats obviously selling crab on the docks. Likewise the processors seem unable to comprehend the idea that someone would want to buy a couple live ones. I guess the tourists are missing so nobody is catering to our particular need. I had to go under cover.
Stopping by the Napa for some boat supplies, I casually asked if anyone was selling crab off the docks. The clerk hesitated and said, "well,…the crab season is winding down, but sometimes there are some skiffs that come in later in the afternoon and they may have some. If you can't find any, let me know and I have a couple numbers I can call." So off I went to the middle harbor and walked the two floats. But there was no activity and no obvious crab sellers. I would need to come back later in the afternoon. And so it was, after I took a load of laundry to the Laundromat and dried it, I set off again with my bucket. On the south float of the middle harbor, I met a stately older gentleman cleaning his gill net and he asked if I was looking for a boat. "No," I said, "I was looking for anyone willing to sell a couple of Dungeness crab." He looked me over and said, "Well, you can check with that guy over there." I looked at the boat he was pointing at. It was covered in tarps and clearly hadn't moved in some time. But there was a modest skiff tied alongside. The gentleman walked over with me and poked his head under the tarp. "Hey, you selling any crab today?" "Yep. 10-bucks a piece for the bigger ones. How many you want?" I chimed in and told him, I'd take 3 if he had them. "I'll have to pull up my trash can. Give me your bucket. And hey, you're not an undercover cop are you?" "No!" I said, and pulled out $30 bucks from my wallet. A few minutes later, he handed me back my bucket and I was off down the dock with my prize.
And so it was, tonight we feasted on the freshest and most delicious Dungeness crab we've ever tasted. After getting the water headed, Ginger watched as I ripped their heads off and rinsed the gills and guts off each half. Then, I took them in and straight to the boiling water. The garlic mashed potatoes I'd made seemed to lose relevance as we each dove into the steaming pile of crab halves on our plates. Ginger's senses were heightened as Danny kept sliding her pieces of crab under the table, decrying "This crab doesn't even need any butter!" We proceeded to cover the salon table in crab shrapnel. Hmmmm, we are leaving tomorrow, but perhaps we should go visit the "crab-man" again.
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Vessel Name:
Vessel Make/Model:
Beneteau First456
Hailing Port:
Seward, AK
Mark Ward, Laurence
rk's experience includes extensive cruising in Southcentral Alaska - Prince William Sound, Kodiak and the Alaska Peninsula, numerous long distance deliveries from Seattle to Seward via Inside Passage and the Gulf of Alaska, seven years commercial fishing experience in Bristol Bay and bareboat charters in Baja, Mexico. Laurence spent several years sailing on the eastern seaboard, from Nova Scotia to the Caribbean. Transatlantic, sailed from East Coast through Panama Canal to California. Sailed out of Seattle for several years. Made her way west and north... Professional experience as yacht rigger. Passion for sailing. Both Laurence and Mark are experienced musicians and multi-instrumentalists.
Radiance is a German Frers designed Beneteau First456 sloop. She has the deep lead fin keel and tall rig. She competes in the local sailing regattas and had taken top honors in all events on multiple occasions. Laurence and Mark have returned from a 2.5 year blue water cruise that essentially [...]
circumnavigated the Pacific Ocean. Route was follows: Alaska – Seattle Victoria BC - Maui (Vic-Maui Yacht Race) Palmira Line Islands Cooks Is. and Samoa Tonga New Zealand (We are now here for cyclone season) Fiji Vanuatu Vanikoro Kiribati Marshall Islands Alaska We have reluctantly returned, but are making plans for future cruising!
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No doubt some of you frequent visitors have noticed the site changes I made in the last few days, and with a little help from some friends. Thanks to so many of you for the kind comments!
I started the new look with a brand new header. I know, I'm fickle, switching up my headers every now and then, but I was over the old font and craving something new! You know I love blues and greens, enter this lovely header designed by the marvelous Kelly at Fabulous K Creative. She is wonderful to work with and has amazing skills, so if you're looking for a new blog design, tell Kelly I sent you!
You'll find some new buttons in the upper sidebar, the icons also designed by Fabulous K. It's the new tabbed Welcome/Subscribe/Connect/Category zone formatted by my site designer AR Creative. There's my Pinterest profile link for those of you hooked like me on this virtual inspiration storage site.
I tweaked the navigation bar too, you can see the Project Gallery is still there, but hey guess what? It's been completely reorganized by category, here's a peek:
Now you'll see images in the table of contents to make it easier for you to browse the archives.
The next change was the addition of a new navigation bar tab called the Style Files.
There you'll find all the articles ever published here on Decorating and Design, plus the Spotlight interviews and also the (soon to be complete) Best of the Blogosphere gallery, where any project you've seen featured here will link directly to the source.
Many of those tables are still under construction, but look for them to be complete very soon! Also I plan to add the Link Parties here and also Wine Country articles too.
You'll see some more friendly faces in the sidebar, the wonderful contributors to CG, including Courtney, Abi, Michelle, and Amanda! Read more deets about these fantastic bloggers the Contributing Writer page.
Many of you wrote to me repeatedly asking for a way to view older posts, well I did something special for you, I made sure the site was paginated so if you visit infrequently (don't do that!) you can simply click on these pages at the bottom of the site to see all the articles in chronological order.
Wouldn't you rather subscribe? Yes, that's a good plan. Here are two ways to make it easy for you in the tabbed Welcome/Subscribe/Connect section, you can get your daily posts either in a Reader or via Email, simply click on the icon.
Finally, you'll see the Site Search option at the top of the sidebar so if you're looking for anything I've ever written on say, spray paint, just enter the topic you're looking for and related articles will pop up. Handy!
That's the update on all the site changes. Please also welcome a new sponsor, Gina of the Shabby Creek Cottage, formerly the Shabby Chic Cottage. She wrote a fabulous post on how to start a business on Etsy a while back that's not to miss, plus her shop is filled with the prettiest things, you must visit!
Many thanks to these inspirational sites who were the top 15 referring blogs in July:
And thank you thank you thank YOU to all of you who visit here! I appreciate you so much! My hope is that the site will be much easier for you to navigate with these improvements!
Happy browsing,

subset: commoncrawl


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Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, "Have high fuel prices had an impact on your farm/business?"
Our poll results: Sixty-four percent said Yes, big impact on our budget; fourteen percent said Yes, minimal impact on our budget; twelve percent said No, not yet; and ten percent said No, don't expect any.
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, "What grade would you give the new student lunch program? Tell us why with a comment." New government nutrition standards, which went into effect this year in a bid to combat childhood obesity, require schools to serve more variety and larger portions of fruits and vegetables. What do you think – are these new lunches a good thing or will students just toss more food in the trash can?
ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.


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Antônio Gonçalves Dias
Our editors will review what you've submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
- Born:
- Aug. 10, 1823, Boa Vista, near Caxias, Maranhão, Braz.
- Died:
- Nov. 3, 1864, off the coast of Maranhão (aged 41)
- Notable Works:
- "Canção do Exílio"
- Movement / Style:
- Romanticism
Antônio Gonçalves Dias, (born Aug. 10, 1823, Boa Vista, near Caxias, Maranhão, Braz.—died Nov. 3, 1864, off the coast of Maranhão), Romantic poet generally regarded as the national poet of Brazil. His "Canção do Exílio" (1843; "Song of Exile"), beginning "Minha terra tem palmeiras" ("My land has palm trees"), is known to every Brazilian schoolchild.
Though Gonçalves Dias lived much of the time abroad following his education at the University of Coimbra in Portugal, his songs, published as Primeiros Cantos (1846; "First Poems"), Segundos Cantos (1848; "More Poems"), and Últimos Cantos (1851; "Last Poems"), continually celebrated, with exuberance and longing, the New World as a tropical paradise. He was himself of the common Brazilian racial mixture—Portuguese, Indian, and African—that Brazilians consider to be the source of their distinctive temperament.
Despite the romantic bohemianism of his personal life and his many fleeting love affairs, he was a respected ethnologist and scholar. He published a dictionary of the Tupí Indian language and an unfinished Indian epic, Os Timbiras (1857; "The Timbiras"). He held governmental posts in which he surveyed the school system of northern Brazil, and he did research on Brazilian historical sources in European archives.
In 1859 he took part in a scientific exploration of his country's natural resources in the upper Amazon valley, from which he returned suffering from tuberculosis. In 1862 he sought a cure in Europe, but his health continued to deteriorate, and he sailed for Brazil in 1864. He died in a shipwreck within sight of Maranhão.


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Sunday 14 September 2008
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
With sales of 44 million and no less than four New York Times #1 bestsellers, The Wheel of Time is the most popular work of epic fantasy since The Lord of the Rings. However, it also one of the most divisive. The series has always attracted mixed reviews and has never won any major awards, but its fans love it, and some of the WoT fansites are the biggest SF&F forums and websites on the Internet. Jordan also became tremendously influential, with authors such as George RR Martin, JV Jones, Raymond E. Feist and Guy Gavriel Kay all attracting notice after Jordan recommended them to his fans or provided cover blurbs.
The first volume opens in traditional fashion, with a prologue set roughly 3,400 years prior to the main narrative. In the Age of Legends, the world was united in peace under the leadership of the Aes Sedai, men and women who could wield the One Power, the primeval force of creation which turns the Wheel of Time. In their hubris, the Aes Sedai carried out experiments to access greater forms of the Power, and accidentally breached the prison of the Dark One, the ultimate force of evil in the universe. The Dark One's touch plunged the world into a century of chaos and despair until the Aes Sedai rallied under their leader, a man nicknamed the Dragon, and re-sealed the Dark One's prison. At the moment of that victory, the Dark One cursed the male half of the One Power, driving all male channellers of the Power insane. In their insanity, they destroyed the world, pushing humanity to the brink of extinction and reshaping the continents through the three centuries of earthquakes and tidal waves they unleashed. With the ending of the Breaking of the World, the Aes Sedai, now consisting only of women, rallied and helped civilisation rebuild to a level of technology roughly equal to that of the Renaissance (although social customs and graces are much more akin to the late 18th/early 19th Century). This Age of history has lived in the shadow of the Prophecies of the Dragon, that state that the hastily-patched seal on the Dark One's prison will eventually fail and the Dragon will be Reborn to save the world, but in doing so will doom it for he will go insane and shatter the world for a second time. Which would be bad, obviously.
The Eye of the World opens in the backwater region of the Two Rivers, a bucolic rural landscape tucked in a forgotten corner of the Kingdom of Andor. Rand al'Thor - a shepherd's son - and four of his friends are forced to flee the Two Rivers when the monstrous servants of the Dark One attack, searching for Rand and two of his friends, Mat and Perrin. They are guided by an Aes Sedai, Moiraine, and her Warder (a sort-of bodyguard, but with souped-up badass qualities), Lan. Whilst hiding in the ruined, ancient city of Shadar Logoth our heroes are separated, and must undergo many trials before they reunite in Andor's capital city of Caemlyn and find out what it is that the Dark One wants with them.
Rereading The Eye of the World after thirteen years is a fascinating experience. Both the good and the bad elements stand out a lot more than when I read it as an engrossed teenager, but it's still a page-turning read with a lot to recommend it.
First, the positives. Jordan is an excellent storyteller and demonstrates full command of the numerous entwining plots in this first volume. He delineates each character quite clearly and whilst those characters are based strongly on existing archetypes, he makes them work, so the reader cares about what happens to them. He is also a strong worldbuilder. Few fictional worlds come as fully-realised as this one, with only Middle-earth and after three books or so, GRRM's Westeros coming close to matching both its depth and scope (Bakker's Earwa may also yet match it). Jordan also has some interesting things to say in this series. Whilst not averse to 'grittiness' in fantasy, Jordan expressed concerns about the idea that everyone is flawed and grey takes away from the nature of evil, that real evil exists in the world and must be confronted. Whilst Jordan's characters are certainly not saints or flawless, the forces of the Shadow are very clearly shown to be black-hearted, cruel and merciless, which especially now is refreshing from the notion that are no bad guys, just people with their own agendas which may or may not be as valid as the heroes'. However, this doesn't make for very interesting antagonists and it's a relief then that much of the rest of the series concentrates more on the struggles between different factions of the supposed good guys.
The negatives sound pretty damning. The first half of the book is modelled very closely on the opening of The Lord of the Rings, but the novel stretches the line between tribute to parody to breaking point. We not only have analogues to the Shire (the Two Rivers), Gandalf (Moiraine) and Aragorn (Lan), but also the One Ring (the cursed dagger), the Nazgul (the Myrddraal), the Trolls and Orcs (the Trollocs), Moria (Shadar Logoth), Gollum (Padan Fain), Treebeard (the Green Man) and even the Argonath (the Arinelle statues). It's extremely hard to ignore these close parallels, although they do broadly succeed in giving the first half of the book some of the same atmosphere as the opening of The Fellowship of the Ring and, as bad as they are, they're not quite veering into Terry 'How the Hell Did He Not Get Sued' Brooks territory. As mentioned earlier, the Shadow's pure, irredeemable evil is also rather wearying and the Myrddraal and Ba'alazamon's tedious threats almost tip them into cartoon villain territory. The world building is excellent, but occasionally Jordan resorts to info dumping to transmit it to the audience, which comes across as awkward. And Robert Jordan's sense of humour is beyond tiresome. I was trying to count the number of times Rand or Perrin thought that the other was better at talking to girls and had to give up in the end. A good running gag is one that appears once per book and is varied a bit each time, not exactly the same gag repeated half a dozen times within a few chapters. This also runs into Jordan's problem of his use of stock phrases and recurring sentence structures, which occasionally come across as quite clumsy. Jordan is a great storyteller, but he is certainly not a good writer.
Yet these negatives, although rather annoying, are offset by the positives. The story is engrossing and the depth of detail refreshing, if overdone at times. The characters are interesting, the world building excellent and the fresh spins on old ideas are well-done. The book hints at countless more mysteries to come, and makes you want to pick up the second (and much better) book, which is its main goal, after all.
The Eye of the World (***½) remains a decent opening to a fascinating, if eventually rather troubled, saga. The novel is published by Orbit in the UK and Tor in the US. The second book is The Great Hunt.
2 comments:
- Joe said...
Solid analysis on the negatives of the book. I'm planning to start a series re-read in the next couple of months to work my way towards the publication of Brandon's book and I've been debating whether I'm going to post about them or not. Still undecided, though I'm not sure I could cover the first book this well. I'll probably take a different approach.
Oh, I didn't post this on the entry for A Game of You, but I just read that volume this week and I didn't much like it either. The book ending of the volume was excellent, with all that identity stuff and the characters in our world, but the fantasyland / dream (not Dream, mind you) stuff was semi-tedious even though it led to an excellent ending. Honestly, it felt like filler to me. - 14 September 2008 at 19:24:00 GMT
- James said...
Good write-up, Wert. TEOTW is the only WOT novel I've read, as I gave up halfway through the second one (for reasons I can't really recall).
It was many years ago that I read it, but I remember really liking the atmosphere of the novel very much indeed. The main flaw that I remember is that I felt the ending was a little rushed.
I'd love to re-read the novel, but see little point as I have no desire to read the rest of the series... - 16 September 2008 at 15:57:00 GMT


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Rah-Rah for Raspberry Almond Bars
My freezer is a repository of odds and ends, a treasure chest packed with the promise of delicious culinary endeavors to come.
Rinds from parmesan wedges saved for hearty vegetable soup pots in the days ahead.
Over-ripe bananas tucked away for spur-of-the-moment banana bread-baking.
Heels of bread for making crumbs to dredge chicken thighs in.
And for this recipe.
"Raspberry Almond Bars" appealed to me because they make use of almond flour (also found copiously tucked away in my freezer) and bread crumbs. In fact, there's no need to measure out any all-purpose flour because the batter gets its foundation from the former two ingredients, plus a generous amount of eggs. The recipe calls for 6 extra large eggs. Since I only buy large ones, I just upped the number of those to 7 for this recipe. It also calls for superfine sugar. You can just whirl regular granulated in a food processor to make it finer. Or truth be told, I just used the regular granulated as is without a problem.


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That's when many people turn to juicing and green smoothies, which are great, but between grocery shopping, blender or juicer set up, prep time, cleaning up, and everything that goes into it…there's just not enough time in the day for most people.
And, it can get really expensive especially if you're using pounds upon pounds of organic produce each and every day.
And suppose you're pinched for time, on-the-go, or traveling…
How do you ensure your body is getting its daily supply of greens instead of inundating yourself with unhealthy options while out of the house?
It's for these reasons, along with the fact that most other greens drinks taste awful, that Yuri spent 4 months developing a more convenient and tasty way to get your greens each day.
A proprietary blend that is loaded with 8 of the world's most nutrient-packed superfoods that are shown by science to transform your health, alkalize your body, and help you feel unstoppable.
All in just 30 seconds per day!
And with NO shopping, chopping, or messy cleanup required.
Just add a scoop of Energy Greens to a glass of water or your favorite green smoothie and start feeling "unstoppable" so you can live your life to the fullest.
Are you really getting 8-12 servings a day?
Alkalinity – The Missing Piece to Lasting Health
When most people think about health, they think about eating a well balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, void of processed foods, and low in sugar. And while that's certainly important, there's a missing piece to great health that is often overlooked by almost everyone.
That missing piece is having the right balance between acid and alkaline foods. That's because different tissues and fluids within your body need to maintain different levels of pH (acid-alkaline balance) to sustain life. Most notably, your blood – which carries nutrients and oxygen throughout your body – needs to be slightly alkaline.
Too much acid in the body (known as "acidosis") has been linked to many health challenges and can make you look and feel decades older than you really are.
On the other hand, a balanced pH supports the body's natural ability to achieve optimum health. Good health isn't complicated, you just need to give your body the right nutritional tools and it will take care of itself.
An Acidic Body is a Sick Body
After growing up on acid-forming foods that drained his body and created a host of health problems, Yuri later learned about the importance of acid-alkaline balance.
Eager to see its effects, he cleaned up his diet, started eating more alkaline foods, and within a few short days his health transformed.
Since then, Yuri's been on a mission to help millions of people understand this simple, yet overlooked (even by the medical community), concept that is so vital to our health.
His New York Times bestselling book, The All-Day Energy Diet, is a culmination of these findings. It has gone on to help tens of thousands of people feel alive again!
And it simply makes sense.
Here's why:
Alkaline foods are mostly vegetables and fruit. By eating more of them you not only get more micronutrients that your body requires to thrive but you also help your body neutralize excess acid that is caused by eating all too common acid forming foods.
The modern diet is overly acidic. Processed foods, lots of animal products, sugar, and grains are all acid forming. Nowadays most people consume 10-20x more acidic foods than they should and infinitely more compared to our ancestors even just 100-200 years ago. Inevitably, this upsets the delicate acid-alkaline balance that the body does its best to maintain.
But unless you're eating 8-12 servings of veggies and fruit each day, chances are your body is too acidic. That's where supplementing with Energy Greens can help. It can help fill in the gaps and give you a flood of alkaline nutrients that can help rejuvenate even the most tired and unhealthy body.
It's not a magic pill but it can give you an unfair advantage to enjoy better health and more energy in just 30 seconds per day.
Taste the Difference
There's no shortage of greens powders on the market.
So, here are 5 ways our Energy Greens stand a cut above the rest…
Most greens products on the market use cheaper grass powder by cutting then drying the whole grass. This results in a bulkier powder, which is cheaper, harsher on the throat and has less overall nutrient density because the vital nutrients are still locked inside the fiber, which hasn't been broken down.
By contrast, our Energy Greens uses premium GRASS JUICE POWDER where the grass is cut, then COLD PRESS JUICED, discarding the bulky fiber. This "juice" is then dried at low temperature to preserve the nutrients. This results in a richer, finer green grass blend that is 100% RAW and thus packed with a higher overall nutrient density.
When you mix our Energy Greens in water it is vibrant green and looks alive and fresh and tastes that way too! It mixes into water beautifully and crosses your tongue with a velvety smoothness.
This isn't a standard run-of-the-mill greens powder that we've simply "private labeled". This is a proprietary blend that Yuri created in his very own kitchen after 4 months of trial and error with dozens of raw superfood ingredients until he finally hit the jackpot and got the "taste approval" from his 3 young boys.
Instead of stuffing undetectable trace amounts of 100s of ingredients into a powder, our proprietary Energy Greens blend gives you the full health-boosting impact of 8 of the world's healthiest raw, organic superfoods so your body soaks up the nutrients like a sponge.
Each of our 8 ingredients is sourced from a cooperative of many small farmers. These small farmers and their ancestors have cared for their land for centuries, cultivating traditional foods without chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
You could try to take each of these superfoods on their own but not only would you not have access to our same premium sources, they'd be 10x more expensive, and you wouldn't benefit from the synergistic power they provide when combined as they are in our Energy Greens blend.
3) 100% USDA Certified Organic, 100% Raw, and Gluten Free
Each ingredient is 100% USDA Certified Organic (as tested by ProCert) so you can rest assured you're not ingesting needless pesticides and other poisons. Each ingredient is also 100% raw thanks to our unique "flash-freeze-dry" process that preserves all the vital nutrients that would otherwise be ruined in traditional heat-based processing.
Our blend is also free of eggs, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, and soy, and it's even approved for gluten–free dieters as it contains no wheat or gluten–containing particles of any kind…
That's because the barley grass we use is harvested before gluten is present in the grass, leaving you with a finished product that is 100% organic, raw, gluten-free, and contains NO artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, sweeteners, fillers, or stimulants.
We firmly believe in delivering the freshest superfood blend possible to your doorstep. That's why your Energy Greens will never sit for months on end to die a slow death in a warehouse. Each bottle has roughly a 2-year expiration, yet we only produce small batches every 6 weeks to ensure that what you get is as fresh as possible.
And we've saved the best part (#5) for last…
A glimpse from above (Energy Greens mixed in water)…
The Most Delicious Greens Superfood Powder You'll Ever Try
We understand most green drinks taste like pond water or fresh-cut lawn. That's one of the reasons why we created Energy Greens.
After Yuri formulated this greens superfood blend over 4 months of trial and error in his very own kitchen, he was then challenged with a seemingly insurmountable feat…
To get his 3 young boys to approve of its taste.
Thankfully, they LOVED it and with their stamp of approval, we knew others would love it as well. Since then, thousands of customers around the world have raved that Yuri Elkaim's Energy Greens are the best-tasting greens they've ever tried.
But if you're looking for something that tastes like Kool-Aid – this isn't it.
Our Energy Greens isn't masked by artificial sweeteners, mint, or other odd flavors that make you feel like you're drinking liquid candy.
Its natural sweetness is provided by the aromatic flavors of cinnamon, vanilla, and goji berry, not sweeteners (like stevia) that leave an artificial and lingering aftertaste.
Plus, Energy Greens isn't gritty like most greens drinks. It's smooth and mixes into water beautifully so that it crosses your tongue with a velvet, silky-like texture.
Finally, you can wake up each morning and look forward to drinking your greens. They taste great and they make you look and feel great too.
"WOW, what a difference it's made to my energy levels!"
"I received my Energy Greens about a week ago now and "wow" what a difference it's made to my energy levels. I take it first thing in the morning and my energy levels are constant throughout the day – unlike previously where I'd start to flag around mid afternoon. The taste is amazing, far better than I was expecting."
– Dawn Atwood
United Kingdom
"Thanks for making it taste so good!"
"When I first tried your energy greens I was really happy with the taste. As I was comparing it with the other greens I've tried. Yours is the best thanks for making it taste so good. I usually put the greens in a smoothie but this one I can even drink in just water and it's still awesome. 🙂 I only have one problem now, as I still have to finish the other green powder that I have bought."
– Judy Meisner
"Definitely the best tasting green powder I've ever tried."
"I would like to say that your energy greens are definitely the best tasting green powder I've ever tried. Most green powders that I've tried in the past left a very unpleasant aftertaste in your mouth. But Energy Greens is the first green powder I've tried that I don't feel like I have to wash it down with extra water."
– Darrin Walhberg
Meet The "Super 8"
8 of the World's Healthiest Superfoods – All in One Glass!
Each of the 8 superfoods we've included in your "Energy Greens" is sourced from a cooperative of small farmers from around the world who grow their food in sustainable and organic conditions. Each ingredient is grown in the most pristine environments and harvested when its nutrient profile is highest so that you get the most bang for your buck.
Minimal processing and close attention to detail ensure that our 8-ingredient green superfood blend arrives at your door as fresh as possible resulting in a drink mix that is 100% organic, unprocessed, raw, and absolutely delicious that you can enjoy with water or added to your favorite green smoothie.
No Fillers. No Sweeteners. No Shortcuts.
Here's What's Inside
At 60% protein per serving, spirulina is the highest source of protein on the planet and contains all 8 essential amino acids, detoxifying chlorophyll, the essential fatty acid GLA (which is great for balancing hormone levels), plus B vitamins and trace minerals.
Sadly, to save money and cut corners, some companies use a lesser quality spirulina, which can often originate from contaminated sources. Thankfully, we don't.
Your "Energy Greens" blend contains only spirulina that has been carefully sourced and purity tested for heavy metals to ensure it's healthful and nutritious… not a potential hazard.
In fact, our spirulina has less heavy metal residue than most organic vegetables!
We guarantee that it is completely free of toxins or bacterial contaminants and contains no pesticides, herbicides or preservatives.
Organic cracked-cell Chlorella, a complete food with a host of health benefits ranging from detoxification to immune support and more. And the world's #1 source of chlorophyll.
Chlorella is a single-celled freshwater plant that many experts regard as "a complete food". Our chlorella is grown in carefully controlled production ponds to maintain purity where it's able to harness sunlight into energy and nutrition to fuel your body.
Because it keeps all its valuable nutrients locked up inside a hard-to-crack cell wall, our chlorella is "cell wall cracked" to maximize digestion and absorption using an ultrasonic method that maintains the integrity of the nutrients, followed by spray-drying process that flashes it into a powder in 2 seconds.
Alfalfa is an alkalizing plant as it helps counterbalance excessive acidity in the body, which leaves you feeling great and helps you lose weight more easily. It's also been shown to reduce arterial plaque, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and may even help reduce the effects of diabetes.
It is high in chlorophyll… high in antioxidants…has 4 times as much vitamin C as citrus fruit…and has numerous properties that benefit your immune system, kidney function and health.
Not only is the 3rd leading source of chlorophyll on the planet but, according to the Institute for Preventive Medicine, organic barley grass juice has demonstrated the ability to DOUBLE the speed at which DNA repairs itself!
When barley grass is young and about 12 inches high, it contains all of the vitamins and minerals necessary for the human diet ‐ that's when we harvest it! Its resulting juice is 7 times richer in vitamin C than oranges, 5 times richer in iron than spinach, and 10 times richer in calcium than milk.
With a long history as a traditional Chinese longevity food, goji berries are one of the world's richest sources antioxidants and essential vitamins and trace minerals, including selenium which is vital for healthy thyroid function.
They're also loaded with heart-healthy phytosterols and eye-sight-protecting carotenoids, as well as goji's unique polysaccharides, which are responsible for improved immune system function.
The goji berry juice powder used in your Energy Greens come from goji berries grown exclusively in the mineral-rich soil of a pristine Chinese valley, which has been nourished by millennia of floods from the famous Yellow River, and then hand-picked at the peak of ripeness. Our farming partners take pride in producing an exceptionally high-quality product.
To add a wonderful flavor to our "Energy Greens", we've added only the best raw, organic ground vanilla bean, grown organically in sustainable, fair-trade worker cooperatives, hand picked from the blooms of the vanilla orchid and cured in the sun.
Aside from it's aromatic flavor, vanilla contains compounds called vanilloids – potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant polyphenols ‐ which can help alleviate many of our chronic inflammation-related problems and diseases (ie. heart disease, diabetes, dementia, etc…)
Cinnamon's unique healing abilities come from three basic types of components in the essential oils found in its bark. These compounds have been shown to have anti-clotting and antimicrobial activity.
Cinnamon is most famously known for its role in stabilizing blood sugar, making it a great spice for diabetics and non-diabetics alike. Because of its role in reducing rises in blood sugar, it's an important spice to any weight loss/maintenance regime. And it tastes and smells great too!
Maca is a mild-tasting premium organic adaptogen, similar to ginseng, great for energy, recovery, libido, and stress-busting. We've included only the best maca the world has to offer because of these properties and because of how beneficial it is for rebalancing hormones, especially in women, and for its bedroom performance improvement among men.
We only use a premium maca that is organically grown in a region totally untouched by modern chemical farming techniques or polluting industrial activity: the pristine Junin valley of the Andes mountains, 14,500 feet above sea level.
You could try to take each of these superfoods on their own but not only would you not have access to our same premium sources, they'd be 10x more expensive, and you wouldn't benefit from the synergistic power they provide when combined as they are in our Energy Greens blend.
When Your Energy Weans, Drink Your Greens!
So, how do you benefit from the power of Energy Greens? It's simple.
Just add 1 scoop of Energy Greens to a glass of water (or smoothie) each morning and/or mid-afternoon to help you avoid those dreaded energy slumps.
After just a few days, you'll enjoy lasting energy instead of riding the "up and down" energy rollercoaster that you get with coffee and caffeine.
Take 1 scoop of
Energy Greens - STEP 2
Mix into 250 ml (8oz) water
Feel the difference!
"At 80 years old, I have more energy than ever!"
"Hi Yuri, I was a little nervous to try your Energy Greens Mix at first since it was a completely foreign to me. But I'm glad I did because the taste is very nice and at 80 years old I have more energy than ever with just one glass each morning.
– Anne Coulthard
"A great quick pick me up in the morning…"
"I have been using the Energy Greens in my midday protein shakes for the past 2 weeks and the taste blends in well with both the vanilla and the chocolate. I have even tried to drink the energy Greens Mix with just plain water for a quick pick me up in the morning and enjoy the flavor. I haven't been able to do that with other green mixes that I have tried in the past. Thanks Yuri!"
– Teri Goulding
Denver, CO
"I feel healthier, more energized, and they help cut my cravings for sweets and other bad-for-you foods"
"I absolutely love Yuri's Energy Greens! I ran out and went to re-order more but they're currently out of stock and I don't know how I will live without them! I feel healthier, naturally more energized and they help cut my cravings for sweets and other bad-for-you foods. I've tried other greens but hands-down Yuri's are my favorite."
– Mary Vardone
Your Gateway to Better Health
Energy Greens won't replace eating a healthy balanced diet but simply adding one scoop to a glass of water OR your favorite green smoothie in the morning and/or mid-afternoon can fill in the gaps, helping you enjoy benefits like these:
Flush Dangerous Acid Out of Your Body*
Chlorophyll-rich, alkaline ingredients clean up the junk inside and bring your body back into balance…and back to life!
Manage Your Weight Without the Struggle*
Less acid, and a more alkaline environment, means less need for "stuck fat" to linger.
Enjoy Lasting
The blood purifying power of our deep, dark greens improves the health of your blood, making oxygen delivery throughout your body effortless. The more oxygen your cells receive, the more readily they can produce lasting energy.
When you are travelling or don't have time to juice, grab your Energy Greens and you're set to go.
Support Your Hormones*
As your body goes from acidic, inflamed, and stressed, your metabolism begins to reset itself. This allows your hormones to work as they're intended to. Add the power of hormone-balancing premium maca to the mix and you'll feel years younger and feel at home in your body again!
Curb Your Cravings and Appetite*
A recent study in the journal Appetite found that consuming ingredients found in our Energy Greens accelerates weight loss, improves obesity-related risk factors, and reduces the urge for "junk" food we so often crave.
Enjoy Healthier, Younger Looking Skin*
As your body (internal) is cleaned and purified, your skin will reflect that. Your family, friends, and colleagues will likely ask you for your secret.
Support Immune Function and Shield Yourself From Sickness*
Infusing your body with countless trace nutrients found in our Energy Greens supports healthy immune function and bulletproofs your body so that you can stay well even when others around are getting sick.
Join the "Unstoppable" Movement
We're on a mission to transform the lives of more than 100 million people by 2040. And we believe that our Energy Greens can be a powerful catalyst in making that happen.
By giving you a nutritional boost to a healthier, more optimized version of yourself, they can help you better handle anything that life throws your way.
And since drinking your Energy Greens each day creates a positive and healthy habit, you might even feel more motivated to eat and live healthier on a regular basis just because you love feeling so good!
It's truly a wonderful "snowball" effect that can help make your future so much healthier than you thought possible.
We want to help you feel unstoppable so you can live your best life. If our Energy Greens can play a small or large role, then we'd be delighted.


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No. 9 Villanova beats St. John's 57-54
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jay Wright had flashbacks to the 1980s watching his team fight through a tough win.
Darrun Hilliard scored 18 points, Ryan Arcidiacono had 12 and No. 9 Villanova beat St. John's 57-54 on Saturday.
It was the second straight win for Villanova (24-3, 12-2 Big East) since its second loss of the season to No. 11 Creighton.
''That was old-school, Big East basketball,'' Wright said. ''Ugly. Great defense. Physical. You had to be physically and mentally tough to play that game. It was the Big East. I'm glad to see our conference at that level. It was just the kind of game in the `80s when I was an assistant here.''
D'Angelo Harrison had 15 points for St. John's (18-10, 8-7), Rysheed Jordan scored 13 and JaKarr Sampson had 12 points and 10 rebounds as the Red Storm's six-game winning streak ended.
''It was a Big East battle right to the end,'' Red Storm coach Steve Lavin said. ''We punched and counter-punched right until the end in a hostile environment.''
Arcidiacono banked a 3-pointer from the top of the circle to give Villanova a 53-50 lead with 3:43 left. After the Red Storm missed a shot, JayVaughn Pinkston grabbed two key offensive rebounds for the Wildcats and Hilliard made a free throw.
''The shot clock was at 6 and I thought I could get a rhythm 3, but it was contested and I had got a lot of arc under it,'' Arcidiacono said. ''It was all luck. I had to take it with confidence and it went in for me.''
St. John's went 3:36 without a point before Sampson's free throw with 1:14 remaining. Arcidiacono then threw away the inbound pass following a timeout, and Harrison made a driving layup to cut it to 54-53. Daniel Ochefu made one of two free throws to give Villanova a 2-point lead with 34 seconds left.
With a chance to tie or give the Red Storm a lead, Phil Greene IV was called for traveling with 14 seconds to go. Arcidiacono's free throw made it 56-53. But the Red Storm couldn't get a 3-point shot off and Harrison was fouled going for a layup with 1.5 seconds left. He made the first free throw and purposely missed the second, but a lane violation gave the ball to Villanova.
Josh Hart made one free throw and the Red Storm missed a desperation 3-point shot at the buzzer.
''This is what we do, this is what we prepare for in practice,'' Hilliard said. ''We don't prepare for coming out and hitting every shot. We prepare for the most difficult situations.''
St. John's came in allowing the second-fewest points in the nation (68.0). They also had the top field goal percentage defense and 3-point percentage defense. It showed as the Red Storm forced 15 turnovers and held the Wildcats 23 points below their average (80.7). The Wildcats tied for the fewest points they have scored in a win this season.
''It was a really good defensive performance for us,'' Wright said. ''Steve had a good game plan for defending us and we couldn't score. There are some really good players on both sides.''
James Bell hit a 3-pointer to give Villanova its biggest lead, 44-38, in the second half. But the Red Storm answered with a 9-3 run capped by Sir'Dominic Pointer's driving layup that tied it at 47.
After both teams traded misses and turnovers for 2 minutes, Bell drained another 3 for a 50-47 with 5:52 left.
Villanova, which beat St. John's 74-67 at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 11, jumped to an 8-0 lead behind two 3s by Hilliard. The Red Storm scored the next nine points and the teams played a tight, defensive first half that ended with Villanova leading 28-27.


text:
From the opening of the first reading for the feast of Corpus Christi, Year A (Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14B-16A)
Moses said to the people:
"Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God,
has directed all your journeying in the desert,
so as to test you by affliction
and find out whether or not it was your intention
to keep his commandments.-V 2
Queer readings of the Bible sometimes emphasise the story of Exodus, how the Israelites were led out of Egypt, the land of bondage, and into the promised land – just as the american civil rights movement did, years ago. However, it is perhaps more relevant, to recall that the Israelites' deliverance was not an event, but a journey: the crossing of the Red Sea was followed by 40 years' wandering in the desert, before the entry into the promised.
By a wonderful piece of timing, the US Presbyterians' votes this week to permit same – sex weddings in at least some of their churches, and to support the global struggles against LGBT persecution, came on the same day that the Washington "March4Marriage" which was so strenuoulsy promoted by the religious right drew an response that was positively underwhelming. According to a facebook post at More Light Presbyterians on the day of the vote, General Assembly 221, which took these historic decisions, also marked a notable 40th anniversary of their own. It's now 40 years since the first Presbyterian minister came out, very publicly, at a General Assembly
From the facebook post:
Today's votes come 40 years after Rev. David Bailey Sindt showed up at G.A. with a sign, "Is anyone else out there Gay?" From that came PLGC / MLP. Today the hall was awash with rainbows, and the Spirit was at work. Thank you, David Sindt!
Actually, it's 41 years. This was in fact in 1973, not 1974, but then biblical numbers are seldom meant to be taken precisely literally. GA 221 came also in the midst of Pride month, June – From a looser reading of "40 years", we can also think back to Stonewall (1969, 45 years ago), or to Rev James Stoll, the first ordained pastor to come out publicly as gay a few,moths after Stonewall, or to Rev Troy Perry, who founded the Metropolitan Community Church the year before that, or to Canon Derrick Sherwin Bailey, ,who in 1955 published "Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition", the first notable book to challenge the traditional assumptions that the bible and homosexuality are in obvious conflict.
Whether we count it as 40 years, or half a century, it's remarkable how far we've come, during these years of wandering in the desert of exclusion, in our journey of escape from the slavery of heteronormativity, and its attempts to force us to deny the truth of our sexual or gender natures, and our loves. Consider the fruits of these single pioneers:
- Instead of a single pioneer at at General Assembly 1963, GA 2014 was "awash with rainbows".
- The year after James Stoll came out, the Unitarian Universalists passed the world's first ever gay rights resolution, and later became the first church, anywhere, to conduct same – sex weddings – years before these could be recognized in law.
- MCC, the church that Troy Perry founded with a small group in his living room, now has well – established congregations across the world.
- Canon Bailey's cautious book questioning the traditional Biblical interpretation on homosexuality, has been followed by what has become a flood of new titles, from every faith tradition, and moving from challenging the clobber texts, to celebrating LGBT figures in the Bible, to finding queer readings of a wide range of biblical texts ("The Queer Bible Commentary" devotes a chapter to every single book of the bible, except only the minor prophets, who share a chapter).
- From near invisibility in church, gay, lesbian and trans people are now serving openly as ministers in a wide range of denominations, in some cases even as bishops, moderators, and other leadership positions.
From widespread assumptions that the only unions that deserved celebration in church were marriages of different – sex couples, there are now many denominations that conduct either gay weddings, or confer blessings on same – sex couples. Many of those that do not, are visibly moving in that direction, with formal study groups of church commissions investigating.
For just about every major church grouping, there are signs of movement, either actively towards full LGBT inclusion, or at least away from previously harsh rhetoric and clear exclusion. Just as the start of our Exodus journey cannot be dated precisely to a single event, PCUSA's three decisions this week do no mark the end of 40 years' wandering in the desert of exclusion. There are many, many staging posts still to reach. But if we have not yet entered the promised land of full inclusion in church, we can at least begin to see it, or imagine it, in the distance.
Let us now read, and reflect on, today's full reading from Deuteronomy:
Moses said to the people:
"Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God,
has directed all your journeying in the desert,
so as to test you by affliction
and find out whether or not it was your intention
to keep his commandments.
He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger,
and then fed you with manna,
a food unknown to you and your fathers,
in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.
"Do not forget the LORD, your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
that place of slavery;
who guided you through the vast and terrible desert
with its saraph serpents and scorpions,
its parched and waterless ground;
who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock
and fed you in the desert with manna,
a food unknown to your fathers."
Related posts:
Blessed Are the Queer in Faith – for They Shall Inherit the Earth
Related articles
- "God and the Gay Christian": Religious Conservatives Are Running Scared. (queeringthechurch.com)
- Cast of characters countdown: Melvin Wheatley (theliberalspirit.com)
- Cast of characters countdown: Chris Glaser (theliberalspirit.com)
- Church's "Error" on Gay Marriage Undermining Christian Witness (queeringthechurch.com)
- Cast of Characters: Amy DeLong (theliberalspirit.com)
- Time for the Church to Embrace Marriage Equality (shuckandjive.org)
- "Blessed Are the Queer in Faith": 60 Years Reassessing Scripture (queeringthechurch.com)
- Ethiopian eunuch: Early church welcomed queers (jesusinlove.blogspot.com)


text:
Here are the best kosher deals at Walgreens this week, with thanks to Shelly from My Coupon Teacher for putting them together. Be sure to go check out her blog for the full match-up.
By the way, I left out the chametz deals – even if you sell your chametz, I figure you don't want to be shopping for cereal this week! If I figured wrong, get all the details from Shelly's blog.
New to deal shopping at Walgreens? Learn more (like what's a RR!) in my post on How to Shop & SAVE at Walgreens.
Zantac 24 ct. or 30 ct. – $7.99
Use $5/1 Zantac Product printable
Then use $2/1 Zantac Product coupon from the Walgreens April In-Store Booklet
= As low as $.99 after stacked coupons
Venus and Olay Razor – $8.99, Get $4 RR
$2/1 Venus Razor, Refill or Disposable, exp. 4/30/12 (P&G 04/01/12)
= $2.99 after coupon and RR
Large Eggs – 2/$2 (regional)
Buy 2 and use $0.55/2 Incredible Edible Eggs printable
= $.73 each after coupons
Domino Sugar – 2/$5
Use $0.40/1 Domino Granulated Sugar from 3/18/12 RP insert (regional)
Or use $0.75/2 Domino Granulated Sugar from 3/18/12 RP insert
= As low as $2.10 each after stacked coupons
Dawn Dish Detergent – $.99
Use $0.25/1 Dawn Product from 04/01/12 P&G insert
= $.74 each after coupon
Reynolds Wrap $3.19 after in ad coupon
Use $1.50/1 Reynolds Wrap Foil printable
= $1.69 after stacked coupons
Are you planning a Walgreens run this week? What's on your list?


text:
Blood pressure lowering drugs should be offered to anyone old enough to be at risk of a heart attack or stroke (or who is otherwise known to be at risk), regardless of their blood pressure, according to the largest analysis of blood pressure trials to date, published on bmj.com today.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death throughout the world. For 65 year olds in England and Wales the risk of having a heart attack in the next 10 years is about 10% for men and 5% for women. The increase in blood pressure during a person's life, which affects nearly everyone, is one of the main reasons for strokes and heart attacks being so common.
Despite the widespread use of blood pressure lowering drugs and the results of many randomised trials, uncertainty remains about which drugs to use and whom to treat. For example, does the preventive effect of drugs differ in people with and without a history of heart disease? And should blood pressure lowering drugs be limited to people with high blood pressure?
To answer these questions, Professor Malcolm Law and colleagues from the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine at Barts and The London School of Medicine analysed the findings of 147 blood pressure trials published between 1966 and 2007, involving 464,000 people.
The results show that using any one of the main classes of blood pressure lowering drugs at standard dose reduced fatal and non-fatal heart attacks by about a quarter and stroke by about a third. Heart failure was also reduced by about a quarter. The reductions in disease were similar in people with and without clinical cardiovascular disease and regardless of blood pressure before treatment.
All the classes of blood pressure lowering drugs had a similar effect for a given reduction in blood pressure that was accurately predicted from epidemiological studies of blood pressure and subsequent disease with two exceptions?an extra protective effect of beta-blockers given shortly after a heart attack and a small additional effect of calcium channel blockers in preventing stroke.
And combining the results with two previously published studies showed that three drugs together, each at low dose to minimise side effects, could increase the preventive effect, reducing heart attacks by about 45% and stroke by about 60%.
Professor Malcolm Law said "The results show that blood pressure lowering drugs should be offered to anyone at sufficient risk to benefit from treatment, whatever their reason for being at risk." However, the exact age range for being most at risk of heart attack and stroke could not be defined precisely from this study, which only looked at randomised trials in people aged 60.
In an accompanying editorial, Richard McManus from the University of Birmingham and Jonathan Mant from the University of Cambridge, say that these findings reinforce the view that treatment to lower blood pressure should be offered on the basis of risk, regardless of blood pressure. These data support the use of a polypill to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in people at high risk without first checking their blood pressure, they add.


text: What is the Greece debt deal? Greece, the country at the center of the eurozone debt crisis, pushed through a huge debt swap in March to save it from disorderly default and clear the way to receive its second bailout, worth €130 billion ($171.5 billion). The country's massive pile of debt has threatened the stability of the 17-country eurozone during a crisis which has dragged on for almost two years. The announcement that Greece successfully pushed through the largest ever sovereign debt restructuring gives some breathing space as the bloc attempts to pull itself back from the brink. In the deal, the country swapped existing bonds for new ones that are worth far less, effectively halving the country's €206 billion bill to private sector creditors. The restructuring takes pressure off the country in the short term, but as it struggles to rein in huge debts, questions remain over its ability to remain in the eurozone. At the time of the swap, David Watts, of Creditsights, said: "It seems unlikely that the Greek [debt deal], despite its sizeable writedown, is the last we've seen of Greece in this crisis." He added, "there are still questions overhanging the restructuring and further questions over whether this deal makes Greece's debt position sustainable." Does Greece still face disorderly default? The decision to insert collective action clauses in Greek bonds – which enabled the country to force through the debt swap against the will of some creditors – was deemed by ratings agency Standard & Poor's to be a "selective default." Investors who hold credit default swaps on the country's debt – a type of insurance against default – were paid out following the deal. However, the greater fear has been that Greece will face disorderly default, or a sudden inability to pay its bills. That has been avoided for now, but the country is facing a contracting economy and its debt is currently at 160% of its GDP. Questions are already being raised about the ability for Greece, which is entering its fifth year of recession and struggling under harsh austerity measures, to pull through without further restructuring. An election expected in May is likely to further shine the spotlight on Greece's commitment to the austerity measures which it was forced to implement in exchange for the bailout packages from its eurozone peers and the International Monetary Fund. Throughout the crisis, which was triggered after Greece admitted its finances were far worse than first reported, the country has faced protests on the street and an inability to raise money from investors, leaving it reliant on the bailout funds. Why is Greece still being supported? The financial collapse of a eurozone member is politically and economically charged. The common currency lies at the heart of the "European dream" and a disorderly default by one its members would be devastating. So Greece is being supported by its eurozone peers as Europe's leaders, led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, desperately attempt to figure out how to fix the problems. The potential for the crisis to spread to Italy and Spain – the so-called "contagion" effect – is a powerful incentive to contain the problem. Bailouts of Greece, Ireland and Portugal have created backlashes in countries such as Germany where the prospect of holding up the bloc's far larger economies is economically and politically unpalatable. So what are Europe's leaders doing? Most European leaders have agreed on a fiscal pact which strengthens a financial firewall and is designed to prevent governments running excessive deficits. The €500 billion permanent bailout fund – called the European Stability Mechanism – is being introduced mid year, rather than next year as originally planned. But Europe's leaders have come up with grand plans before and been knocked back by the markets. It remains to be seen if the latest twist in Greece's debt crisis can stem the crisis. Simon Denham, of Capital Spreads, said in a note on the deal: "Is this the final breaking point in the conversation over Greece? Unfortunately I fear not as we've been here so many times before." He added, "the focus is likely to shift onto other parts of the eurozone with Portugal being the main target." How serious is a default? It depends if it is disorderly, or controlled. The greatest fear has always been a disorderly default, in which Greece would reach a repayment deadline without the funds in hand to pay. There have been numerous grim predictions should this situation eventuate, including global panic and market sell-offs. A default might mean French and German banks exposed to the debt will begin to struggle, resulting in a credit lockdown by the wider banking sector. If banks are forced to take this hit, it could have global economic consequences similar to those seen in the financial crisis that followed the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. Investors would also begin looking at which other countries are facing financial difficulties, including Italy and Spain. If investors stop supporting these countries, the eurozone's stronger countries could again be leaned on for financial assistance. But that's where the help from Europe, and further afield, could run out of capacity. Italy's economy, for example, makes up 17% of the eurozone – nearly seven times bigger than that of Greece. These countries are regarded as "too big to fail," because bailouts would be too expensive. How did we get here? Greece's economy has struggled since the country joined the euro in 2001. In 2004, it admitted its budget deficit was higher than allowed under rules of entry. By 2008 the government had narrowly passed a belt-tightening budget, designed to trim its massive national debt burden, triggering widespread protests. In 2009, Greece admitted its deficit would be more than 12% of gross domestic product – far higher than previous estimates and more than four times the requirements of entry into the eurozone. The country was hit with ratings downgrades, pushing its sovereign bonds into so-called "junk" territory. At the same time, resistance to the austerity measures and a contracting economy have made it extremely difficult for Greece to clamber its way out of the financial problems. Is it time for Greece to drop out of the euro? Despite the relief offered by a second eurozone bailout, Greece is running out of options as pressure grows on its finances. Unless it can make good on massive debts it faces financial collapse, with heavy consequences not only for the eurozone countries but for the global economy. The ECB, IMF and eurozone countries have poured money into Greece to prevent this outcome and may have to continue doing so unless another solution can be found. This has led to calls for Greece to be allowed to quit or be thrown out of the euro. Some Greeks also support this since they believe it would spare them from harsh austerity measures demanded as conditions for assistance. Economists are divided. Many say it is impossible for Greece to drop out because the consequences would be so disastrous that eurozone economies will not allow this to happen. How would quitting the euro affect the Greeks? This would liberate Greece from the eurozone's fixed exchange rate, allowing it to become a more competitive exporter and – as it unshackles its currency – an attractively cheap tourist destination. But it would come with a heavy price. It would still leave Greece in debt and reliant on handouts that former eurozone partners would be less willing to supply. It would also mean Greeks would face higher prices for imported goods. It is also likely to drive people out of their homeland as they seek to escape lower wages and higher taxes. This could set back the country's economic recovery back by years.


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Taproot Theatre Company was founded in 1976 by six friends, five of them graduates from Seattle Pacific University. From its humble beginnings as a touring group, the company is now Seattle's largest mid-size theatre company. Today Taproot Theatre serves over 150,000 people annually throughout the Pacific Northwest with its Jewell Mainstage season, Isaac Studio Theatre season, Touring programs and Acting Studio.
Mission Statement
Taproot Theatre Company creates theatre experiences to brighten the spirit, engage the mind and deepen the understanding of the world around us while inspiring imagination, conversation and hope.
- Value Statements
- We value faith.
- We respect people.
- We celebrate theatre.


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ing George IV (or "Prinny," as his subjects affectionately nicknamed him), was born in 1762, the eldest son of one of Britain's longest-reigning monarchs, George III. Owing to his father's bouts of insanity, George, Prince of Wales, became Prince Regent in 1811, ushering in a period of exuberance in fashion and literature called "The Regency." After a strict childhood dominated by "Farmer George," at age 18 Prinny had broken out — first with an intrigue with an actress (Mrs. Robinson), and then with a married woman, Mrs. Fitzherbert, a Roman Catholic whom he clandestinely married when he was just 23 — at 25, she was already twice a widow! Prince George had been 21 when, in 1783, he had made his first visit to Brighton, which, although still a village ("Brighthelmstone"), had delighted him with assemblies, balls, gambling, and promenading by the sands of the English Channel. Here was the ideal place to escape the stodgy royal father who so disliked him, and to be with people of wit, beauty, and style. After this marriage, in 1786 he leased "the superior farmhouse" in the valley of the Steine River which he commissioned architect Henry Holland to refurbish as a neoclassical mansion, but which he was subsequently to transform into a Coleridgian Xanadu with exotic Chinese interiors and Moghul exteriors. Since he was underage and since the Catholic ceremony was not recognized under English law, Prinny was free to marry again — to Princess Caroline of Brunswick in 1795. He agreed to marry the enormously heavy German princess on condition that Parliament pay his debts of £650,000. Mind you, now 33, George was no midget at 17 stone (238 lbs.) He sought divorce from her, but the scandal that notion engendered ended with her death in 1821. When George IV visited Scotland in 1822, Sir Walter Scott orchestrated a magnificent reception for him, despite his Hanoverian lineage andÊ lingering Jacobite memories of his uncle, Butcher Cumberland, and the ignominious defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie in Culloden in 1745.
View of the Royal Pavilion today. [Photograph by Jacqueline Banerjee. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. Click on the image to enlarge it.]
However, rather than at Edinburgh, Windsor, or even Buckingham Palace, Prinny's patronage of the arts may be appreciated best at Brighton. George IV's being proclaimed "The First Gentleman of Europe" stems from the fact that he recognized the architectural genius of John Nash (his "Surveyor-General" who transformed Holland's mansion into a Mogul palace by adding the onion-shaped dome, tent-like roofs, and numerous pinnacles and minarets), and the fashion genius of Beau Brummel (1778-1840), inventor of trousers as we know them, and the culinary genius of Marie Antoine Carême (1784-1833), Talleyrand's chef at the Congress of Vienna and the inventor of caramel.
Parliamentarians and courtiers alike shook their heads at the ruinous extravagance of Prinny's construction of the Brighton Royal Pavilion, which became the grandest, most daring, and most beautifully worked out royal fantasy anywhere in Europe. Here as in Carlton House, Windsor Castle, and Buckingham Palace, George played an active role, in constant control of his architects and decorators. Despite its oriental lines, life within the Pavilion was stuffy owing to the heat of the patent stoves and the gas lighting (itself an innovation). In 1811, Prinny also commissioned the construction of grand stables (now a concert hall) in an appropriate Indian idiom. In 1820, after nine years as Regent, George became King George IV. He was 59, and in bad physical condition — though still able to sing "Glorious Apollo" or "Mighty Conqueror" in the Royal Pavilion's sunlit music room. He made his last visit to Brighton in 1827; by then, the oriental vision had faded, and he was averse to resort town's prying crowds.
On the 26th of June, 1830, George IV died at Windsor Castle, still engaged on building projects. His demise signalled the end of the Georgian style. King William IV, who briefly occupied the throne from 1830 to 1837, treated Mrs. Fitzherbert with respect and kindness, but she was merely a relic of a bygone era, and the new king lacked his brother's sense of fashion and style. William IV stayed at the pavilion, but Queen Victoria found it lacking in privacy and moderation. In 1845, she ordered the pavilion closed, and the furnishings removed. By the 1850s, George's oriental pleasure dome at Brighton had already been gutted. A Bill proposed that the profits from stripping the Pavilion be applied to "repairing and enlarging Her Majesty's Palace called Buckingham Palace." The corporation of Brighton averted the threat of demolition by purchasing the empty palace for £50,000 — which has proved a good investment. In 1865 Queen Victoria returned many of the original decorations and fittings; complete restoration had to wait until early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, who ordered returned on permanent loan the balance of the original furnishings removed by Queen Victoria's agents.
Related Material
- Farmhouse to Pleasure Dome: The Building of the Royal Pavilion, Brighton (1786-1822)
- The Banqueting Hall and the Music Room: Ostentation Run Riot
- The Royal Pavilion (east front and other views)
- Royal Stables
Automobile Association of Great Britain. Treasures of Britain and Treasures of Ireland. Drive Publications, London: 1973. Pp. 99 & 101.
Higginbottom, David. Il. John Barrow and Eric de Mare. The Brighton Royal Pavilion. Brighton, Sussex: The Royal Pavilion, Museums and Libraries Committee, 1972.
Plumb, J. H. "George IV." Royal Heritage: The Story of Britain's Royal Builders and Collectors. British Broadcasting Corporation, London: 1977. Pp. 197-242.
Last modified 21 April 2016


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N. RENEE HUGHES, Gardner & Hughes PLLC, Charlotte
I worked six years as an advocate for domestic violence victims in the New Hanover County criminal-justice system. These days my community service involves service-related activities, including being a Big Sister with the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, volunteering with Friendship Trays and serving as the Mecklenburg County Bar's solo-practitioner/small-firm section chairperson.
Vita: Born Oct. 13, 1969, in Wilmington; bachelor's from Wake Forest University and law degree from N.C. Central University; parents and two sisters.
What she'd be if not a lawyer: I would return to working with battered women as a court advocate or be a crime-scene investigator or detective.
Memorable case: I represented a former company executive who lost a limb to cancer and later required major surgery. She was subsequently fired after her workplace-accommodation requests were not well received. She went through extraordinary pain and numerous surgeries to save her life but maintained an exceptionally positive and upbeat attitude.
Passions: My two cats and spending time with family and friends.
Favorite place: The Timbavati Game Reserve in South Africa.
Recent reading: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
by Michael Gerber.
Don't ask me to: Pull for a team against Wake Forest.
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I'll be looking to base myself in Vancouver soon. In the past, you've always had to prove at the border that you'll be leaving again, one way or another. Last time they didn't take the "I'm planning on winging it" comment well, so fortunately I had a bus ticket to Seattle as well (from Vancouver).
This time I'll have a return airline ticket, so that's easy, but I know other friends who just want the cheapest form of a ticket out of the country. Last time I had a $22 bus ticket from Vancouver to Seattle. Is there a cheaper ticket that would serve this purpose? Every dollar counts when you backpack ;)
Note - it doesn't have to be from Vancouver. Anywhere in Canada, to anywhere outside of Canada is acceptable.


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Meat Grinder Opinions?
I am looking to buy a standalone electric meat grinder (not a stand mixer attachment). I have scoured Amazon's selection for hours on end and cannot tell which one of those with a moderate price is best. I am wanting to grind poultry, pork, and perhaps lamb or beef, for meatballs, meatloaves, steamed meat dumplings, sausage patties, etc. Stuffing sausage casings is not something I am interested in doing.


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60cm x 60cm
Acrylic on canvas
'Turning in the Breeze' by Jan Nelson is framed in a contemporary, wide handmade white frame.
Frame dimensions 93x93cm
Complete these details to receive an Own Art quote and application link
Let us know how much you would like to finance with an Own Art loan. You can finance from £100 up to the full value of the artwork (including delivery).


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Press Release
District Of Delaware U.S. Attorney's Office Collects $1,725,357.29 In Civil And Criminal Actions For U.S. Taxpayers In Fiscal Year 2013
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Delaware
WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Attorney Charles M. Oberly, III announced today that the District of Delaware collected $1,725,357.29 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2013. Of this amount, $448,253.63 was collected in criminal actions and $1,277,103.66 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the District of Delaware worked with other U.S. Attorney's Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $304,172.89 in cases pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $304,172.89 was collected in civil actions.
Moreover, the District of Delaware, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $3,587,857.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2013. Specifically, in the case of United States v. Bruce E. Costa, the district recovered almost $2.5 million. Costa, a former pharmacist and former owner of Renaissance Family Pharmacy in Claymont, Delaware, was found guilty of unlawfully distributing approximately 45,000 oxycodone pills. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Thursday that the Justice Department collected approximately $8.1 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2013. The more than $8 billion in collections in FY 2013 represents nearly three times the appropriated $2.76 billion budget for the 94 U.S. Attorney's offices and the main litigating divisions in that same period.
"The department's enforcement actions help to not only ensure justice is served, but also deliver a valuable return to the American people," said Attorney General Holder. "It is critical that Congress provide the resources necessary to match the department's mounting caseload. As these figures show, supporting our federal prosecutors is a sound investment."
"During this time of economic recovery, these collections are more important than ever," said U.S. Attorney Oberly. "The U.S. Attorney's Office is dedicated to protecting the public and recovering funds for the federal treasury and for victims of federal crime. We will continue to hold accountable those who seek to profit from their illegal activities."
The U.S. Attorneys' Offices, along with the department's litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department's Crime Victims' Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
Updated July 14, 2015